The present invention relates to a drive train for a motor vehicle, having an electric machine for providing motive power, having a transmission arrangement, which has a transmission input shaft and a first and a second gear stage, wherein the transmission input shaft is connected to the electric machine, and having a differential, which is connected to an output of the transmission and is set up to distribute motive power to two drive shafts.
A motor vehicle drive train of this kind is known from document DE 199 17 724 C2.
This document discloses the provision of a drive train for an electric vehicle, in which the drive train has a 2-speed power-shift transmission. In this case, an electric machine is connected by way of a constant-mesh gearset to a transmission input shaft, on which two free gears are rotatably mounted. The free gears can be connected to the transmission input shaft by means of friction clutches capable of making power shifts. The differential is furthermore connected to two driving gears, which are directly in engagement with the free gears. In this way, it is possible to provide a compact drive train for an electrically driven motor vehicle. By means of the two gear stages, it is possible to achieve a gear spread which allows operation both in urban conditions and in extraurban conditions.
The disadvantage with this drive train is the use of two relatively large ring gears (driving gears) on the differential, specifically in terms of weight, inertia and production costs.